❖ Video
❖ Audio
Jesus Set Us Free and Send Us Out
(Mark 5:1-20)
Mari Ikeda
0. “The region of the Gerasenes” (1)
1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.
1. Demons and Jesus (2-13)
2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. 11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
a. Demons lead us to self-destruction
b. But they can never disobey Jesus
2. Jesus and those who are set free by Jesus (14-20)
14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man―and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
a. Jesus being expelled
b. He sends us out on His behalf
Summary
We only live either by obeying Jesus or obeying Satan. Satan leads us to self-destruction. But Satan can never disobey God. Jesus came to this world in order to set us free from Satan’s rule and take us back to be under God’s rule. Those who met Jesus and were set free by Him earlier than others are His missionaries sent out to this world to convey God’s mercy on behalf of Jesus, who is now invisible. “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
For Discussion
- How do you think about the presence of demons (Satan)?
- Why did Jesus not approve this man to follow Him? How does it relate to us?